JP7747266B2 - Mask support - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act, published on March 25, 2021 on the website at the following URL: https://maskchanger.com/ (The application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act is acknowledged for all 42 cases submitted in the submission of the certificate of exception to loss of novelty on December 16, 2021.)

The present invention relates to an aid for use with a sanitary mask.

A type of auxiliary device that can be attached to the mask body of a sanitary mask (hereinafter simply referred to as a "mask") is known that supports the mask body at a position away from the user's nose and mouth, thereby reducing breathlessness when wearing the mask.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mask auxiliary device that includes a roughly hemispherical main body whose outer edge abuts around the nose and mouth, and an attachment part for fastening this main body to the upper edge of the mask body. Patent Document 1 also discloses a mask auxiliary device that adds a filter retention function to the above configuration.

Patent Document 2 describes a method of removably attaching a ring-shaped mask support (spacer) that covers the area around the nose and mouth to the mask body by attaching hook-and-loop fasteners to both the mask body and the support.

In addition to these, mask support devices that are attached to mask strings to prevent ear pain are also known. One example is disclosed in Patent Document 3, which discloses a mask support device that is elongated and made of felt cloth, sponge, or the like, with male and female hook-and-loop fasteners provided on each edge of the long sides, and which becomes cylindrical when these hook-and-loop fasteners are engaged to allow the mask strings to pass through.

JP 2012-110577 A JP 2015-19920 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-158905

The mask support device described in Patent Document 1 is attached by hooking an attachment section formed by folding a plate-like member onto the upper edge of the mask body, but this leaves part of the attachment section exposed on the front side of the mask body, which looks unsightly. The mask support device described in Patent Document 2 is attached to the inner surface of the mask body via a hook-and-loop fastener, so the attachment section is not exposed to the outside. However, because a hook-and-loop fastener must also be attached to the mask body, it is difficult to use with ordinary commercially available masks.

The mask support device described in Patent Document 1, which has the function of holding a filter, requires a separate member to be attached to and detached from the support device itself in order to attach and detach the filter, which makes these tasks cumbersome and difficult to use.

Furthermore, because the mask support devices in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are designed to fit tightly around the nose and mouth of the face, the amount of air that reaches the nose and mouth through the mask body is not significantly different from when no support device is used, and they do not function to release hot air trapped between the mask body and the face. For this reason, they are insufficient to alleviate breathlessness when wearing a mask in the summer or while exercising.

In an effort to solve the above problems, mask support devices that create a gap for ventilation between the bottom of the mask body and the face have recently been sold. However, these mask support devices can only support the mask body at a distance from the face, so if it is necessary to eliminate the gap between the mask body and the face, such as when entering a crowded place, the mask support device must be removed. Furthermore, there is a risk that infection control measures will be insufficient if the mask support device cannot be removed immediately, and there are also problems such as the mask support device being lost when removed, or viruses being attached to the removed mask support device.

Furthermore, all previous mask support devices that are attached to the mask body are attached to a fixed area of the mask body and do not anticipate allowing for flexibility in the attachment area.

The present invention focuses on the above-mentioned problems, and has as its first objective to provide a mask auxiliary device that can be easily attached to any location on the mask body of a sanitary mask , can stably maintain the attached state, and can be easily removed.

Furthermore , a second object of the present invention is to provide a mask support device that can be curved away from the face to provide a ventilation space , or can be curved to increase the degree of fit to the face, so that the mask does not look unnatural when worn.

Hook-and-loop fasteners are usually used in combination with a male hook-type hook-and-loop fastener and a female loop-type hook-and-loop fastener, but male hook-and-loop fasteners can be directly attached and detached to materials whose surfaces can function as loop surfaces, such as nonwoven fabrics, knits, and pile fabrics.

The present invention focuses on the above points and provides a mask auxiliary device whose main part is an article configured such that a pair of rectangular pieces made of male hook -and-loop fasteners are connected to each other with the back surfaces of the hook surfaces facing each other.

The pair of pieces is not limited to being independent individual pieces, but may be two pieces separated by folding the center portion of a single hook-and-loop fastener across its width.

The mask auxiliary of the present invention further includes a flexible cover sheet that can be attached to and detached from the hook surfaces of the pair of pieces, and a flexible linear body.

The pair of pieces are connected together with the back surfaces of the hooks facing each other, at least along the length of their edges. This connection may be made along the entire length of the edges, or may be made intermittently or only partially along the edges. It may also be made along the entire length of the edges, or may be made along all or part of the edges of the long and short sides of the pieces .

The linear body is held in the gap between the pair of pieces. The cover sheet is large enough to cover the entire hook surface of one of the pieces and is attached to the hook surface of one of the pair of pieces.

With the above configuration, the mask support can be removably attached to a mask body made of a material whose surface functions as a loop surface by aligning the length of each piece along the width of the mask body and contacting the hook surface on the side not attached to the cover sheet with an appropriate location on the inner surface of the mask body. By wearing a mask with this mask support attached and bending the linear body, the retaining member, cover sheet, and mask body can also be bent in the same way.

The mask support device of the present invention can be detachably attached to a mask having a mask body made of a material whose surface functions as a loop surface, such as a commercially available nonwoven mask. By wearing a mask with such a mask support device attached, the deflection of the linear body can be adjusted to switch between a state in which the mask body is separated from the face to create a space for ventilation between the two, and a state in which the mask body is fitted to the face to increase the degree of adhesion to the face.

In addition, a flexible cover sheet is provided on the side facing the face when worn, and the linear member is housed inside the mask auxiliary device, so there is no risk of the hook surface or linear member coming into contact with the user's face and causing pain or discomfort, allowing the mask to be worn comfortably.

A pair of string adjusters can be further attached to the sanitary mask to which the mask auxiliary device of the present invention is attached, in order to make it possible to change the length of the ear straps.
This string adjuster is mainly composed of a flexible string-like member integrally provided with a male hook-and-loop fastener having a hook surface , and is fitted to each of the left and right ear straps.

In masks that use a string adjuster, the left and right ear straps are each divided into a string connected only to the upper end and a string connected only to the lower end. By entangling the hook surface of the hook-and-loop fastener on the string-shaped member with the open end of each of these two strings, the two strings are connected via the string adjuster, and the combined three-part string can function as ear straps.

The surface of the elastic cord or nonwoven fabric cord that is normally used as the ear string of a sanitary mask also functions as a loop surface, so the open ends of the two cords mentioned above can be directly connected to the hook-and-loop fastener of the string-like member.
Furthermore, in the present invention, the pair of string adjusters can be configured as main components of a string-like member with two separate ends each having a male hook-type surface fastener integrally attached to the branched portion. In this case, the open ends of the string connected only to the upper end of the mask body and the string connected only to the lower end can be sandwiched between the two hook-and-loop fasteners at the ends of the string-like member and connected to the hook-type surface, respectively, to form ear loops.

In either embodiment, the new ear straps incorporating the strap adjusters are longer than the original ear straps, so even if the mask support is bent away from the face to provide ventilation space, excessive pulling force is prevented from being applied to the ear straps, preventing strain on the user's ears.

Furthermore, the overall length of the portion that functions as the new ear strap can be adjusted by attaching an adjuster to the string member to adjust its effective length, adjusting the area where the two strings originally connected to the mask come into contact with the hook-and-loop fastener, or shaping the string member into a loop of any size with the hook surface facing inward. In this way, even if the distance from the ear to the mask body changes due to changes in the degree of bending of the linear body of the mask support accessory, the pulling force can be adjusted to an appropriate level by changing the length of the ear strap.

The mask auxiliary of the present invention can be directly attached to any location on the surface of a mask body made of a material (such as a nonwoven fabric) whose surface functions as a loop surface, and can be easily removed from the attachment location. It can also be easily reattached after removal .

This mask support can bend the mask body away from the face by bending the internal linear body to form a ventilation space, or conversely, it can be curved to fit the mask body more closely to the face.In addition, even while wearing the mask, the shape of the linear body can be changed to easily switch between the two wearing states.

Furthermore, since the mask support device of the present invention can be attached to a location that cannot be seen from the front of the mask body, even if the mask body is bent to create a ventilation space, there is no significant change in the wearing condition that is visible from the outside, and there is no need to worry about causing discomfort to people around you.

1A and 1B are a front view showing a mask to which a mask auxiliary device to which the present invention is applied is attached, and a schematic diagram showing a connection structure between the mask auxiliary device and a mask main body. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a holding member of a mask auxiliary tool. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating other configuration examples of the holding member. 2 is a front view showing a mask to which a string adjuster of a first form is attached together with the mask assisting device of FIG. 1, and a front view of the string adjuster. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a connection structure between a string adjuster and an ear string in a first form. FIG. 10A to 10C are diagrams showing the procedure for assembling the string adjuster of the first form into the ear string. 2A and 2B are a front view and an enlarged view of the string adjuster of the second embodiment attached to the mask assisting device of FIG. 1 ; 2A and 2B are a front view and an enlarged view of the string adjuster of the third embodiment attached to the mask assisting device of FIG. 1 ; 10 is a schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the string adjuster and the ear string in the third form. FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a mask to which a string adjuster of a fourth embodiment is attached together with the mask assisting device of FIG. 1, and a perspective view of a portion of the string adjuster. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the string adjuster and the ear string in the fourth form. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a mask to which a string adjuster of a fifth form is attached together with the mask assisting device of FIG. 1. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the string adjuster and the ear string in the fifth form. FIG. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a mask to which a string adjuster of a sixth embodiment is attached together with the mask assisting device of FIG. 1. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a string adjuster of a sixth embodiment and a method of connecting it to an ear string, and an enlarged view of the dashed line frame in FIG. 14. 1. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a mask to which a string adjuster of a seventh embodiment is attached together with the mask assisting device of FIG. 1, and an enlarged view of the string adjuster to which ear straps are connected. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a string adjuster of a seventh embodiment. 1 is a diagram showing an example of wearing a mask to which a mask support device to which the present invention is applied is attached. 1A and 1B are a front view showing a mask to which an article holder of a first embodiment to which the present invention is applied is attached, and a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the article holder. 10A and 10B are a front view showing a mask to which an article holder of a second embodiment to which the present invention is applied is attached, and a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the article holder. 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams showing the configurations of third and fourth embodiment article holders to which the present invention is applied. This is a schematic diagram showing an example in which a small piece of hook-and-loop fastener with information written on the back side is attached to the mask body. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing the configurations of two types of hooks for a hook-and-loop fastener. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the mechanism of connection using the two types of hooks. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hook-and-loop fastener in which the above two types of hooks are mixed. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the above two types of hooks are entangled in a nonwoven fabric. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which nonwoven fabric fibers are sandwiched between the two types of hooks.

<Mask accessories>
1 shows an example of a mask auxiliary device 1 to which the present invention is applied attached to a commercially available nonwoven fabric mask M, with the inner surface of the mask M facing the face as the front view (FIG. 1(A)) and an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view (FIG. 1(B)) of the part where the mask auxiliary device 1 is attached. The mask M in this example has ear loops 3 made of flat or round elastic attached in a loop shape to the left and right sides of a pleated mask body 2 (however, the pleats are not shown), but it can also be used with other general mask shapes (the same applies to all subsequent examples).

The mask auxiliary device 1 of this embodiment (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "auxiliary device 1") is a strip-shaped member approximately 12-13 cm long and 1.2-1.5 cm wide, and is composed of a flexible linear body 11, a holding member 10 that holds the linear body 11, and a cover sheet 12 that is detachably connected to the holding member 10. The linear body 11 is a core material made of plastic with shape-retaining properties, or a core material in the form of flexible metal wire coated with resin. The holding member 10 is formed from a male hook-and-loop fastener F with a hook surface HS, and the cover sheet 12 is made from a nonwoven fabric sheet material.

As shown in Figure 2, the retaining member 10 is made by folding a male hook-and-loop fastener F with a notch cut in the center of each short side at the notch so that the hook surface HS is exposed, and then welding the two pieces f1 and f2 separated by the fold at their edges to form a bag with hook surfaces HS on both sides. The linear body 11 is sandwiched between the two pieces f1 and f2 before they are welded together, and is held in the gap between the pieces f1 and f2.

The two pieces f1, f2 of the hook-and-loop fastener F are continuous on the long side where the fold was, and are also connected by welding along almost the entire edge on the other long side. The edge on the short side is also partially welded, but the short side may be left open without welding. The long side may also be only partially welded, provided that the linear member 11 does not slip out.

The cover sheet 12 is a nonwoven sheet with a surface area slightly larger than that of the retaining member 10. As shown in Figure 1(B), the cover sheet 12 is attached to one surface of the retaining member 10, and the other surface of the retaining member 10 is attached to the mask body 2. The surfaces of the nonwoven fabric that make up the mask body 2 and cover sheet 12 contain many fine fibers that function as loops that intertwine with the hook surfaces HS. By contacting the hook surfaces HS of the retaining member 10 with these fibers, the retaining member 10 can be directly connected to the mask body 2 and cover sheet 12. By bending the linear members 11 inside the retaining member 10 while the three are connected, the bending is transmitted to the mask body 2 and cover sheet 12 via the retaining member 10, causing them to bend along the linear members 11 (see Figure 18).

Figure 1(A) shows an example in which one assisting device 1 is attached to each of the upper and lower ends of the mask body 2, but only one assisting device 1 may be attached. The location where the assisting device 1 is attached to the mask body 2 is not limited to the upper or lower end, and the user can freely select a location, such as the tip of the nose or in front of the mouth.

The method of manufacturing the retaining member 10 is not limited to the method shown in Figure 2. A retaining member 10 with a configuration similar to that shown in Figure 2(B) can also be manufactured by overlapping the surfaces of two independent male hook fasteners opposite their respective hook surfaces, inserting a linear member 11 between them, and welding each hook fastener at least at the edge of its long side.

Instead of the holding member 10, a holding member 10x having the configuration shown in FIG. 3 can also be used.
The retaining member 10x is formed by folding back a hook-and-loop fastener F cut into the shape of an unfolded thin box at the position indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 3(A) and welding the overlapping edges together to form a box shape including two opposing pieces f3, f4 with the back surfaces of the hook surfaces HS facing each other. A linear body 11x (having an elliptical cross section in this embodiment) is housed in the internal space of the retaining member 10x, and one of the two pieces f3, f4 is connected to the mask body 2, and the other piece is connected to the cover sheet 12.

The cover sheet 12 can also be considered an article held by the holding member 10 .
The cover sheet 12 is not limited to nonwoven fabric, but may be made of a sheet material having a surface connectable to the male hook-and-loop fastener F, such as gauze or terry cloth.
Furthermore, since the cover sheet 12 is easily detachable, if it becomes soiled, it can be washed and reattached to the holding member 10.

Another form of mask auxiliary can be created by overlapping a cover sheet on the back side of the hook side of a male hook-and-loop fastener, sandwiching a linear object between the two and connecting them at the edge, so that one side becomes the hook side and the other becomes the cover side, and then attaching the hook side to the mask body 2 for use. In this type, the cover sheet does not need to have a side that becomes the loop side, so a suitable cover sheet can be selected from a variety of flexible materials.

<Ear strap length adjustment aid>
Next, seven embodiments will be described as examples in which an auxiliary device for adjusting the length of the ear straps 3 is further attached to the mask M in which the mask auxiliary device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is attached to the mask body 2. In these embodiments, the mask M and mask auxiliary device 1 have already been described, so the same configuration as in Figure 1(A) will be illustrated and a description thereof will be omitted. In addition, from here on, to prevent confusion with the mask auxiliary device 1, the auxiliary device for adjusting the length of the ear straps will be called a "string adjustment device" and will be represented by the symbols 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, and 4G according to the form.

Figure 4 shows the overall structure of the mask M with the first type of string adjuster 4A and mask assistive device 1 attached, along with an enlarged view of the portion of one ear strap 30A that includes the string adjuster 4A. Figure 5 shows three even more enlarged schematic diagrams illustrating the connection structure between the string adjuster 4A and the original components of the ear strap 3. Figure 6 shows the steps for attaching the string adjuster 4A to the mask body 2.

The string adjuster 4A of this embodiment comprises a string member 40 bent at the center of its length, and an adjuster 43 threaded through two string pieces 41, 41 separated by the bend. The string member 40 is a flat elastic string such as flat rubber or stretch ribbon, and a male hook-and-loop fastener F, of a width that does not extend beyond the surface, is fixed to one surface of the end of each string piece 41 that is not restrained by the adjuster 43 by welding, adhesive, etc. (See Figure 5(A)).

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the left and right ear straps 3, 3 of the mask M are each cut in the center, and then the string pieces 41, 41 of the string member 40 are connected to the open ends of the two strings 3a, 3b separated by the cut, one above the other, respectively. Then, the strings 3a, 3b are reconnected via the string adjuster 4A to form new ear straps 30A.

The ear strings 3 of the mask M also contain fine fibers that function as loops. By cutting the strings 3a and 3b into upper and lower halves and bringing them into contact with the hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F, the strings 3a and 3b can be connected to the hook-and-loop fastener F (see Figures 5(B) and (C)).

The new ear straps 30A are longer than the original ear straps 3 due to the incorporation of the strap adjusters 4A, and their effective length (the length of the portion that pulls the mask body 2 when the mask is hung over the ear) can be adjusted by changing the position of the adjusters 43. Furthermore, by moving the adjusters 43 close to the connection points with the straps 3a and 3b, the effective length of the ear straps 30A can be made almost the same length as the original ear straps 3.

Rather than simply cutting the original ear straps 3 of the mask M in half, by cutting a certain range including the center length and shortening the lengths of the straps 3a, 3b to be shorter than those shown in Figures 4 and 6, it is possible to connect the straps 3a, 3b to the strap adjuster 4A to form new ear straps 30A whose effective length is shorter than the original ear straps 3. Even if the straps 3a, 3b are not cut short, the effective length of the ear straps 30A can be made shorter than the original ear straps 3 by moving the connection positions of the straps 3a, 3b to the strap pieces 41, 41 closer to the mask body 2.

The string member 40 is not limited to a flat string, but may also be a round string of a certain thickness. Furthermore, even non-elastic strings such as cloth ribbons or non-woven tape can be used for the string member 40, as long as they are long enough to form a string longer than the original ear string 3 when connected to strings 3a and 3b. The string member 40 may also be decorated with beads, buttons, or dyed.

The same string member 40 as above is used in the subsequent second to fourth forms of string adjusters 4B, 4C, and 4D. Furthermore, in all of the string adjusters 4B to 4G, including the fifth to seventh forms, the ear loop string 3 is cut and the open ends of the two strings 3a and 3b separated into upper and lower parts are connected to form a new ear loop string together with these strings 3a and 3b, just as shown in Figure 6.

FIG. 7 shows the overall structure of the mask M to which the string adjuster 4B of the second embodiment is attached, as well as an enlarged view of a portion of one ear strap 30B including the string adjuster 4B.
The string adjuster 4B of the second embodiment is composed solely of a string member 40 provided with male hook-and-loop fasteners F (not shown in FIG. 7) at both ends. The hook-and-loop fasteners F of this embodiment are set longer than those of the first embodiment.

In the second configuration, the open ends of the two strings 3a, 3b that were separated by cutting can be connected to both ends of the string member 40, respectively, and the strings 3a, 3b can be reconnected via the string adjuster 4B to form new ear strings 30B. As with the first configuration, the length of the ear strings 30B can be made shorter than the original ear strings 3 by cutting the strings 3a, 3b shorter or by moving the connection positions of the strings 3a, 3b to the respective string pieces 41, 41 closer to the mask body 2.

Figure 8 shows the overall structure of a mask M equipped with a third-form string adjuster 4C, along with an enlarged view of the portion of one ear strap 30C that includes the string adjuster 4C. Figure 9 shows the connection between the string adjuster 4C and the strings 3a and 3b, with (A) an enlarged schematic view showing the end face of the string adjuster 4C as the front, and (B) an enlarged schematic view showing the side of the string adjuster 4C as the front.

Like the first form, the third form of string adjuster 4C has a string member 40 made of a flat string bent in the center of its length, and an adjuster 43 threaded through two string pieces 41, 41 separated by the bend. A branch piece 42 of the same width as the string piece 41 is provided in the portion of each string piece 41 of the string member 40 that is not restrained by the adjuster 43, and a male hook-and-loop fastener F is fixed to one surface of the end of both the string piece 41 and the branch piece 42, large enough not to protrude beyond that surface.

In the third embodiment, the open ends of the two strings 3a, 3b, which have been cut and separated into upper and lower parts, are sandwiched between string piece 41 and branch piece 42, respectively, and connected to the hook surfaces HS of the respective hook-and-loop fasteners F (see Figures 9(A) and (B)). This reconnects the strings 3a, 3b via the string adjuster 4B. This creates a new ear loop string 30C that is longer than the original ear loop string 3 and whose effective length can be adjusted using the adjuster 43. Also, in this embodiment, the length of the ear loop string 30C can be made shorter than the original ear loop string 3 by cutting the strings 3a, 3b shorter.

The third embodiment described above can also be arranged so that two strings with hook-and-loop fasteners F fixed to both ends are connected at a midpoint with the hook-and-loop fasteners F facing inward. In this case, as with the second embodiment shown in Figure 7, the adjuster 43 is not provided, and the effective length of the ear loop string 30C can be adjusted by adjusting the attachment positions of the strings 3a and 3b to the hook-and-loop fasteners F.

Figure 10 shows the overall configuration of a mask M equipped with a fourth-form string adjuster 4D, along with an enlarged view of the connection between the string adjuster 4D and string 3a on one ear strap 30D. Figure 11 shows the engagement between the string adjuster 4D and strings 3a and 3b using an enlarged schematic view (A) of the end face of the string adjuster 4D as seen from the front, and an enlarged schematic view (B) of a portion of the inner surface of the string adjuster 4D.

The fourth form of string adjuster 4D also has a string member 40 made of a flat string bent at the center of its length, and an adjuster 43 threaded through two string pieces 41, 41 separated by the bend of the string member 40. The open ends of each string piece 41 of the string member 40 are fixed to positions slightly apart on the same string piece 41, forming a loop 44 at the end of each string piece 41, and a hook-and-loop fastener F is fixed to the inner surface of the loop 44.

In the fourth configuration, the free ends of the two strings 3a, 3b, which have been cut into upper and lower pieces, are placed into the loops 44 of the string piece 41 and entangled with the hook surfaces HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F (see Figures 11(A) and 11(B)). This reconnects the strings 3a, 3b via the string adjuster 4D. Thus, in the fourth configuration, a new ear loop string 30D is formed that is longer than the original ear loop string 3 and whose effective length can be adjusted using the adjuster 43. Furthermore, by pressing the loops 44 after the strings 3a, 3b are connected, the strings 3a, 3b are sandwiched between the hook surfaces HS, similar to the example in Figure 9, thereby increasing the strength of the connection.

In the fourth form, the ear straps 30D formed by the strings 3a, 3b and the string adjuster 4D can also be made shorter than the original ear straps 3 by cutting the strings 3a, 3b short or by moving the connection positions of the strings 3a, 3b to the loops 44 closer to the mask body 2.

Figure 12 shows the overall configuration of a mask M equipped with a fifth form of string adjuster 4E. Figure 13 shows the engagement between the string adjuster 4E and the strings 3a and 3b using an enlarged schematic view (A) of the outer edge of the string adjuster 4E from the front, and an enlarged schematic view (B) of one end face of the string adjuster 4E from the front.

The fifth form of string adjuster 4E mainly consists of a long, narrow silicone rubber member 45 that is curved in an arc to fit behind the ear. This member 45 has a slit 46 that runs the entire length of its outer edge and a cavity 47 that connects to this slit 46. Male hook-and-loop fasteners F with hook surfaces HS are fixed to the inner walls of both ends of the cavity 47.

In the fifth form of the string adjuster 4E, the slit 46 and hollow portion 47 are temporarily widened, and the open ends of the upper and lower strings 3a and 3b separated by cutting the ear loop string 3 are inserted into the hollow portion 47. These are then entangled with the hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F (see Figures 13(A) and (B)). This reconnects the strings 3a and 3b via the string adjuster 4. Therefore, even in the fifth form, the combination of the string adjuster 4E and the strings 3a and 3b can function as a new ear loop string 30E. The effective length of the new ear loop string 30E can also be adjusted by adjusting the length of the strings 3a and 3b that fit into the hollow portion 47.

In the fifth form, the ear straps 30E formed by the strings 3a, 3b and the string adjuster 4E can also be made shorter than the original ear straps 3 by either cutting the strings 3a, 3b shorter or adjusting the range of the strings 3a, 3b inserted into the string adjuster 4E to move the connection positions of the strings 3a, 3b to the hook surface HS closer to the mask body 2.

Figures 14(A) and 14(B) show a mask M equipped with a sixth form of string adjuster 4F, which is a shape-changing type. Figure 15 shows schematic diagrams (A), (B), (C), and (D) illustrating the configuration of the string adjuster 4F, as well as enlarged views (E) and (F) of the portion enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 14.

The sixth form of string adjuster 4F is a string member whose base material is flat elastic 400 of a predetermined length. A male hook-and-loop fastener F1 having a hook surface HS is attached to the entire surface of one side of the base material 400 (see Figure 15(A)), and a female hook-and-loop fastener F2 having a loop surface LS is attached to the other side in a range from one edge to a predetermined position just short of the longitudinal centerline (see Figure 16(B)).

As shown in Figures 15(C) and 15(D), by bending the string adjuster 4F with the hook surface HS facing inward and connecting the appropriate location of the hook surface HS to the loop surface LS, the string adjuster 4F can be formed and maintained in a loop shape of a predetermined size. Furthermore, by changing the connection point of the hook surface HS to the loop surface LS, the size of the loop can be freely changed.

The sixth form of string adjuster 4F is also provided, one on each side of the mask M. By connecting the free ends of the strings 3a and 3b separated by cutting the ear string 3 on the same side using the hook surface HS on the inner surface of the loop, a new ear string 30F is formed by connecting each string 3a and 3b to the string adjuster 4F (see Figures 14(A) and (B)).

Figure 15(E) is an enlarged view of the dashed line frame in Figure 14(A) and corresponds to an example in which strings 3a and 3b are connected by a large-loop string adjuster 4F shown in Figure 15(C). Figure 15(F) is an enlarged view of the dashed line frame in Figure 14(B) and corresponds to an example in which strings 3a and 3b are connected by a small-loop string adjuster 4F shown in Figure 15(D).

As shown in Figures 14(A) and 15(E), by enlarging the loop of the string adjuster 4F and connecting the strings 3a and 3b to the hook surface HS so that they face each other within the loop, the ear loop string 30F formed by the string adjuster 4F can be made longer than the original ear loop string 3.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 14(B) and 15(F), by making the loop of the string adjuster 4F smaller and bringing the strings 3a and 3b closer together within the loop and connecting them to the hook surface HS, the ear loop string 30F formed by the string adjuster 4F can be made to be approximately the same length as the original ear loop string 3.

In either example, by pressing the loop after the strings 3a and 3b are connected, the strings 3a and 3b are sandwiched between the hook surfaces HS, thereby increasing the strength of the connection.

Furthermore, in the sixth form, the length of the ear strings 30F can be made shorter than the original ear strings 3 by cutting the strings 3a and 3b shorter or by moving the connection positions of the strings 3a and 3b to the hook surfaces HS closer to the mask body 2.

The base material 400 of the string adjuster 4F is not limited to flat elastic; any string material with a surface large enough to attach the hook-and-loop fasteners F1 and F2 can also be used as the base material (the same applies to the seventh embodiment below). Furthermore, the string adjuster 4F can also be made by using a band made of male hook-and-loop fastener F1 as the base material 400 and attaching a female hook-and-loop fastener F2 to part of its back surface.

The hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F1 does not necessarily have to be formed over the entire surface of the base material 400; for example, there may be portions at both ends without hook surfaces HS. The length of the loop surface LS on the back side is also not limited to that shown in Figure 15(B); for example, the loop surface LS may be provided in the range from the edge to the center of the length.

Figure 16 shows the overall structure of a mask M equipped with the seventh form of string adjuster 4G, as well as the relationship between the string adjuster 4G and the strings 3a and 3b. Figure 17 shows the structure of the string adjuster 4G.

As shown in Figure 17, the seventh form of string adjuster 4G is a ring-shaped member formed by joining female hook-and-loop fasteners F2 with loop surfaces LS to both ends of a strip-shaped base material 401 made of flat rubber or the like, joining a male hook-and-loop fastener F1 with hook surfaces HS between them, and then connecting both ends of the base material 401 with the surfaces LS and HS facing inward.

With the string adjuster 4G configured as described above, the hook surface HS is connected to the loop surface LS at the point facing the loop surface LS, forming two loops with the hook surface HS on the inner surface. By inserting strings 3a and 3b into these loops and bringing them into contact with the hook surface HS, each string 3a and 3b can be connected to the string adjuster 4G, forming a new ear string 30G (see Figures 16(A), (B), and (C)).

The string adjuster 4G allows the effective length of the ear strings 30G to be changed by adjusting the length of the strings 3a, 3b threaded through the loops to adjust the connection points of the strings 3a, 3b to the hook surfaces HS. This adjustment can be used to move the connection points of the strings 3a, 3b to the hook surfaces HS closer to the mask body 2, or by cutting the strings 3a, 3b shorter, the length of the ear strings 30G can be made shorter than the original ear strings 3.
Furthermore, in this embodiment as well, the strength of the connection can be increased by sandwiching and pressing the looped strings 3a and 3b between the hook surfaces HS.

The strings 3a and 3b can be connected not only to the hook surface HS of the loop portion, but also to the connecting portion between the hook surface HS and the loop surface LS.

In the above embodiment, the string adjuster 4G maintains both ends of the base material 401 in a connected state, but it may also be configured so that female hook-and-loop fasteners F2 are attached to both sides of the base material 401 in the range from one end to a predetermined position, and male hook-and-loop fasteners F1 are attached to the remaining portion of one side. In this way, by turning the side with only the hook-and-loop fasteners F2 to the outside and connecting or disconnecting the loop surface LS of the hook-and-loop fastener F2 to the hook surface HS on the inside, it is possible to switch between a loop state and a string-like state and adjust the size of the loop.

<Example of use of mask auxiliary tool 1>
Fig. 18 shows an example of wearing a mask M (see Fig. 8) to which the mask auxiliary device 1 and the string adjuster 4C of the third form are attached. Note that Fig. 18 does not show the entire mask auxiliary device 1, but shows only the linear body 11 inside.

In the example shown in Figure 18(A), the linear members 11 of the mask support device 1 attached to the upper and lower ends of the mask body 2 are curved significantly, causing the mask body 2 to bend away from the face. This creates a space for ventilation between the upper and lower edges of the mask body 2 and the face, allowing the user to breathe more easily.

In the example of Figure 18 (B), the linear members 11 of the mask support device 1 attached to the upper and lower ends of the mask body 2 are curved to fit the face, pulling the mask body 2 closer to the face and leaving almost no ventilation space between the two. This reduces the chances of harmful substances such as viruses, dust, and pollen reaching the user's mouth and nose.

The above two wearing states can be switched between as needed by changing the degree of curvature of the linear body 11 while the mask auxiliary device 1 is attached to the mask body 2.

In the worn state shown in Figure 18(A), the distance between the mask body 2 and the ears increases, and if the length of the ear straps cannot be adjusted, the pulling force on the ear straps increases, which could put strain on the ears. In this embodiment, by moving the adjuster 43 of the string adjuster 4C away from the mask body 2, the effective length of the ear straps 30C including the string adjuster 4C can be extended, thereby alleviating the pulling force. In the state shown in Figure 18(B), conversely, by moving the adjuster 43 closer to the mask body 2 and shortening the effective length of the ear straps 30C, the mask body 2 can be fitted more closely to the face.

In the first form of string adjuster 4A shown in FIG. 4 and the fourth form of string adjuster 4D shown in FIG. 10, the effective length and tensile force of the ear loop strings 30A, 30D can be adjusted by moving the adjuster 43 in the same way as in the example of FIG. 18.
In the second form of string adjuster 4B shown in Figure 7 and the fifth form of string adjuster 4E shown in Figures 12 and 13, the effective length of the ear loop strings 30B, 30E can be adjusted by changing the area of contact between the upper and lower strings 3a, 3b and the hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F.

The sixth form of string adjuster 4F shown in Figures 14 and 15 also allows the effective length of the ear strap 30F to be adjusted by changing the size of the loops and the relative positions of the strings 3a and 3b within the loops. The seventh form of string adjuster 4G shown in Figures 16 and 17 also allows the effective length of the ear strap 30G to be adjusted by changing which parts of the strings 3a and 3b are connected to the hook surfaces HS of the two loops.

In this way, by using one of the string adjusters 4A-4G together with the mask assisting device 1, it is possible to provide a high level of adjustability to commercially available masks M of a standard configuration. People who must wear a mask for long periods of time due to work or other reasons can reduce physical strain and psychological stress by only wearing the mask body 2 tightly against their face as shown in Figure 18(B) when in crowded places, and by wearing it in a manner that creates a ventilated space between the mask body 2 and their face as shown in Figure 18(A) at other times.

Furthermore, all of the string adjusters 4A-4G are hidden behind the user's ears and are therefore not visible from the front. They can be seen from behind, but they are string-like members of approximately the same width as the strings 3a and 3b of the original ear loop strings 3, and are not much different in shape from commercially available masks with adjusters. They are often hidden by hair, so there is no risk of them causing discomfort to those around.

The mask auxiliary tool 1 and the string adjusters 4A to 4G, which are the second mask auxiliary tools, are not limited to being used together as described above, and it is also possible to use only one of them.
For example, people who do not need to adjust the length of the ear loop straps or who use a mask with adjustable ear loop length can switch between the two wearing positions mentioned above by attaching only the mask support device 1 to the mask body.

The mask auxiliary device 1 can also be used to attach other items to the mask body 2. For example, by connecting the holding members 10 of the mask auxiliary device 1 to the upper and lower ends of the mask body 2, and then placing nonwoven fabric filters of the same size as the mask body 2 on top of them and connecting them to each holding member 10, the filters can be removably attached to the inner surface of the mask body 2.

Instead of a filter, the mask body of another mask made of nonwoven fabric can also be attached. Also, a nonwoven fabric bag containing a cooling agent, a heating agent, a fragrance, etc. can be attached to the mask body 2 in the same way as the filter described above.

In order to prevent ear pain caused by the ear strings and skin irritation caused by prolonged contact of the ear strings with the skin, any of the string adjusters 4A to 4G can be used without combining with the mask assisting device 1.
The pain in the ears caused by wearing a mask is mainly caused by the ear straps pulling the ears forward, so it is difficult to alleviate this pain by simply covering the ear straps as described in the aforementioned Patent Document 3, and it is necessary to weaken the pulling force by extending the length of the ear straps.

In regards to the above-mentioned issues, the string adjusters 4A-4G of the first to seventh forms all allow for easy adjustment of the length of the ear strings 30A-30G, which include the string adjusters themselves, making it possible to adjust the pulling force of the ear strings 30A-30G to an appropriate strength that does not strain the ear. Furthermore, in the first to fourth forms and the sixth and seventh forms, the string member 40 and base 400, which are the main parts of the string adjuster 4, are made of a highly flexible, soft material, which prevents skin irritation. The string adjuster 4 of the fifth form also uses silicone rubber, which places less strain on the skin, as the material for the retaining part, so it is similarly able to prevent irritation and rough skin.

Furthermore, the string adjusters 4A-4G of the first to seventh forms can also form ear loop strings 30A-30G that are shorter than the original ear loop strings 3, thereby resolving the problem of people who find that the ear loop strings on commercially available masks are too loose.

<Example of article holder>
The mask auxiliary device 1 used in each of the above examples is assumed to be attached to the inner side of the mask body 2, but a similar configuration can also be used to provide an item holder for attaching a specified item to the front side of the mask body 2 made of nonwoven fabric.

Figure 19 shows an example of a name tag 6 attached to the front side of the mask body 2 using the first type of item holder 5A, with a diagram showing the overall structure of the mask M (Figure 19(A)) and an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment location of the item holder 5A (Figure 19(B)).

The first form of article holder 5A is formed in the same way as the holding member 10 of the mask auxiliary device 1 shown in Figure 1, by folding a single piece of male hook-and-loop fastener F at the center of its width with the hook surface HS exposed, and then welding the two pieces f11, f12 separated by the folding at their edges. The two pieces f11, f12 are rectangular in shape, wider than the pieces f1, f2 of the holding member 10 but with shorter long sides. Furthermore, because no article is sandwiched between the pieces f11, f12, the pieces f11, f12 are stacked with almost no gap between them and are integrated by welding.

Name tag 6 is a nonwoven fabric sheet that is larger than sides f11 and f12, with a name printed or handwritten on one side. The side without the name is connected to one of the hook surfaces HS of item holder 5A. Therefore, by aligning the name tag 6 and mask body 2 vertically and bringing the side of item holder 5A without the name tag 6 into contact with the surface of mask body 2, item holder 5A can be connected to mask body 2 and the name can be written on the front side of mask body 2.

Figure 20 shows an example of a name tag 7 attached to the front side of the mask body 2 using the second type of item holder 5B, with a diagram showing the overall configuration of the mask M (Figure 20(A)) and an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment location of the item holder 5B (Figure 20(B)).

The second type of article holder 5B has a transparent plastic card case 50 joined to the back surface of the hook surface HS of one male hook-and-loop fastener F. The length of the short sides of the hook-and-loop fastener F is shorter than the lengths f11 and f12 of the first type. The card case 50 is a rectangular case body with a long side the same length as the hook-and-loop fastener F and a short side longer than the hook-and-loop fastener, and one of the long side end faces is open. The non-open long side of this card case 50 is aligned with one edge of the hook-and-loop fastener F and is fixed to the hook-and-loop fastener F by welding, adhesive, etc.

In this embodiment, the name tag 7 is a piece of paper or a plastic card (a business card would also do) with a name written on one side. It is held in the card case 50 by inserting it into the case 50 from the open end of the case 50. Therefore, by placing the name tag 7 in the card case 50 with the long, unopened side at the bottom edge, and then aligning it vertically with the mask body 2 and connecting the hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F to the mask body 2, the name tag 7 can be held in a state where the inscription on the name tag 7 can be seen from the front. In the example shown in Figure 20, the short side of the card case 50 is shorter than the name tag 7, but a notch may be provided in part of the open end of the case 50 to make it easier to insert and remove the name tag 7 even when the entire name tag 7 is stored in the card case 50.

Figure 21 shows two types of item holders 5C and 5D, which are modifications of the second embodiment of item holder 5B. In these item holders 5C and 5D, instead of a card case 50, translucent, flexible plastic plates 51 and 52 that function as a cover are connected to a male hook-and-loop fastener F. The hook-and-loop fastener F is rectangular and has the same size as the plates 51 and 52.

The plates 51, 52 have main pieces 51a, 52a through which the name tag 7 can be seen, and gusset pieces 51b, 52b integrally formed at the edge of the main pieces 51a, 52a. The gusset pieces 51b, 52b are welded to the back surface of the hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fasteners F, F, forming a gap between the main pieces 51a, 52a and the hook-and-loop fasteners F for inserting the name tag 7.

In the third embodiment of an article holder 5C shown in FIG. 21(A), at least one end face on the short side is opened, and the name tag 7 can be inserted or removed through the opening.
In the fourth embodiment of an article holder 5D shown in FIG. 21(B), the end face on the long side facing upward is opened, and the name tag 7 can be inserted or removed through the opening.
These open end faces may also be provided with notches to facilitate the insertion and removal of the name tag 7.

In this way, even with the third and fourth forms of item holders 5C and 5D, by connecting the hook-and-loop fastener F to the surface of the nonwoven fabric mask body 2 with the name tag 7 inserted in the gap, the name tag 7 can be held in place in a manner that allows the display to be seen from the front.

In recent years, hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities have often required patients and users to wear masks as a measure against infectious diseases, but this has led to concerns that it has become difficult for staff to distinguish people's faces when interacting with them. One effective way to solve this problem would be to write names on the mask itself, but writing names by hand on the mask itself requires rewriting each time the mask is replaced, which is extremely cumbersome.

All four types of item holders 5A-5D can be removed from and reattached to the mask body 2 while still holding the name tags 6, 7. Therefore, by using these item holders 5A-5D, you can simply replace the name tags 6, 7 without having to write your name on the mask body 2 every time you change masks M, eliminating the need for cumbersome work.

All of the item holders 5A-5D are made of flexible materials, so there is no risk of injury to the user. Furthermore, the hook surface HS of the hook-and-loop fastener F is resistant to deterioration, allowing for repeated use over a long period of time.

Each type of item holder 5A-5D can be attached not only to masks M, but also to protective clothing and bags made of nonwoven fabric. Furthermore, they can also be attached to items made of materials whose surfaces function as loop surfaces, such as knits and terry cloth, in addition to nonwoven fabrics.

The above-mentioned item holders 5A-5D are not limited to name tags; they can also hold sheets or cards with information written on them. For example, service providers such as restaurants and retail stores can attach item holders 5A-5D holding sheets with the store's name, logo, and a message they want to convey to customers to the mask body 2 while serving customers, allowing them to convey information to customers in a natural way.

In addition to the above, some information or design can be displayed on the front surface of the mask body 2 by handwriting or printing letters, designs, etc. on the back surface of the hook surface HS of the small piece 8 attached to the male hook-and-loop fastener F, and then connecting the hook surface HS of the small piece 8 by contacting it with the mask body 2, as shown in Figure 22. This small piece 8 can also be easily attached and detached from the mask body 2, so it can be replaced each time the mask M is replaced.

The shape of the small pieces 8 is not limited to rectangles, and hook-and-loop fasteners F can be cut into various contours and used for decoration. Furthermore, a highly decorative sheet material can be attached to the back side of the hook surface HS of the cut-out hook-and-loop fasteners F. These small pieces 8 can be connected not only to the mask body, but also to ear strings.

<Another form of hook-and-loop fastener>
All of the examples described so far have used a male hook-and-loop fastener F having a general hook surface HS, but instead of this hook-and-loop fastener F, it is also possible to use a hook-and-loop fastener having a mixed configuration of two types of hooks h1 and h2 as shown in Figure 23.

Figures 23(A) and 23(B) show two types of hooks, h1 and h2, each shown as a combination of an enlarged schematic front view and a schematic plan view. Note that BS in the figure is a sheet material that serves as a base for supporting each hook, h1 and h2, in an upright position.

One of the hooks, h1 (hereinafter referred to as the "first hook h1"), has a cylindrical base 100 with a pointed central engagement protrusion 101 integrally attached to the tip. The engagement protrusion 101 is formed in the shape of a cylinder with a larger diameter than the base 100, joined to a cone.

The other hook h2 (hereinafter referred to as the "second hook h2") also has a cylindrical base 200 with an engagement protrusion 201, which is integrally formed at the tip of the base 200 and has a larger circular cross-section than the base 200. The second hook h2 has an engagement hole 202 that runs continuously from the bottom surface of the base 200 to the tip of the engagement protrusion 201. The size of this engagement hole 202 corresponds to the base of the engagement protrusion 101 of the first hook h1, and the open end surface on the upper end is tapered.

Furthermore, the width d1 of the portion of the base of the engaging protrusion 101 of the first hook h1 that protrudes from the outer surface of the base 100 is set to the same length as the width d2 of the portion of the engaging protrusion 201 of the second hook h2 that protrudes from the outer surface of the base 200.

FIG. 24 shows the mechanism of connection by the hook and loop fastener having the hooks h1 and h2.
According to the above-described configuration, when the engaging protrusion 101 of the first hook h1 and the engaging protrusion 201 of the second hook h2 are aligned with their central axes facing each other, the engaging protrusion 101 of the first hook h1 can be inserted into the engaging hole 202 of the engaging protrusion 201 of the second hook h2 to connect the two, as shown in Figure 24 (A).

Even if the first hook h1 and the second hook h2 are not in an engageable positional relationship, the hooks h1 and h2 can be connected by interlocking the base portions of the engaging protrusions 101 and 201 of both hooks, as shown in Figure 24(B). Furthermore, as shown in Figures 24(C) and 24(D), hooks of the same type can also be connected by interlocking the base portions of the engaging protrusions 101 and 101, or the base portions of the engaging protrusions 201 and 201.

FIG. 25 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement pattern of the two types of hooks h1 and h2.
In the hook-and-loop fastener SF1 shown in Fig. 25(A), rows of horizontally arranged first hooks h1 and rows of horizontally arranged second hooks h2 are alternately arranged in the vertical direction. In the hook-and-loop fastener SF2 shown in Fig. 25(B), one first hook h1 and one second hook h2 are alternately arranged in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

In the hook-and-loop fastener SF1, the first hooks h1 and the second hooks h2 are arranged alternately in the direction diagonally across the row of horizontally arranged hooks and in the vertical direction. In the hook-and-loop fastener SF2, the same type of hooks are arranged diagonally across the row of horizontally arranged hooks.

Therefore, with either hook-and-loop fastener SF1 or SF2, by bringing two hook-and-loop fasteners of the same configuration into contact with each other, it is possible to create the four connection states shown in Figures 24 (A) to (D).

Figures 26(A) and 26(B) show the engagement between the hooks h1 and h2 and the nonwoven fabric 300 when the above-mentioned hook-and-loop fasteners SF1 and SF2 are brought into contact with the nonwoven fabric 300. As shown in these figures, the looped fibers 310 of the nonwoven fabric 300 become entangled with both the first hook h1 and the second hook h2, so even if the hook-and-loop fasteners F of the mask auxiliary accessory 1 and the item holders 5A to 5D described above are changed to the above-mentioned hook-and-loop fasteners SF1 and SF2, they can still be connected to the mask body 2 in the same way.

In the string adjusters 4A-4G, the hook-and-loop fastener F can be replaced with the hook-and-loop fasteners SF1 and SF2 described above, producing the same effect as in Figures 26(A) and 26(B), allowing for easy connection to the strings 3a and 3b.

FIG. 27 shows a phenomenon that may occur when the fibers 310 of the nonwoven fabric 300 enter between the two hooks h1 and h2 in the relationship shown in FIG. 24(A).
In this way, when the fibers 310 of the strings 3a, 3b enter between the opposing hooks h1, h2, the engaging protrusions 101 of each hook h1 can push the fibers 310 into the engaging holes 202 of the hook h2, thereby retaining them in the engaging holes 202.

In each of the string adjusters 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, and 4G, namely the third form shown in Figures 8 and 9, the fourth form shown in Figures 10 and 11, the fifth form shown in Figures 12 and 13, the sixth form shown in Figures 14 and 15, and the seventh form shown in Figures 16 and 17, the strings 3a and 3b can be sandwiched between the hook surfaces, so engagement between hook h1 and hook h2 can occur at multiple locations. If the phenomenon shown in Figure 27 above occurs at these locations, the connection strength to the strings 3a and 3b is increased, preventing the string adjusters 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, and 4G from coming loose.

A conventional example of a hook-and-loop fastener that can engage surfaces of the same configuration is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-204809 (see paragraph 0037 and Figure 5 of the same publication). However, the hook-and-loop fastener described in this publication only engages hooks of the same configuration (similar to Figures 24(C) and 24(D)), and does not show the structure of the two types of hooks h1 and h2 shown in Figures 23(A) and (B) or the connecting structure shown in Figure 24(A).

<Technical features of the cord holder>
Based on the explanations and drawings given regarding the cord holders 4A to 4F of the first to seventh embodiments, the technical features of the cord holders are summarized as follows.

(1) A main part is a string-like member having flexibility and integrally provided with a hook fastener (F) having a hook surface (HS) on one surface of the main part, the hook surface (F) being large enough not to protrude from the surface of the main part,
Two strings (3a, 3b) are connected at one end to the upper end and the lower end of either the left or right edge of the mask body (2) of the sanitary mask (M), and by connecting the hook surfaces (HS) of the hook-and-loop fasteners (F) at both ends to the open ends of each of the strings (3a, 3b), ear strings of the mask (M) are formed together with the two strings (3a, 3b).
A hygienic mask auxiliary device characterized by the following:

(2) Each end of the string-like member is split into two, and a hook-and-loop fastener (F) having the hook surface (HS) is provided at the end of each of the branched portions (41, 42).

(3) Both ends of the string-like member are kept bent to form loops (44), and hook-and-loop fasteners (F) having the hook surfaces (HS) are provided on the inner surfaces of the loops (44).
(4) The string-like member comprises a single string member (40) bent at the center of its length, and an adjuster (43) slidably threaded through a pair of string pieces (41, 41) separated by the bending of the string member (40).
(5) The string-like member is an elongated member (45) made of a flexible and stretchable resin, and at least both ends of the member (45) have an openable hollow portion (47) on the inner surface of which a hook-and-loop fastener (F) having the hook surface (HS) is provided.
(6) The string-like member is a flexible band-like member having a hook surface (HS) on one side and a loop surface (LS) on the other side.
(7) The string-like member is a flexible ring-shaped member having a loop surface (LS) on a part of the inner surface and a hook surface (HS) on the other part of the inner surface.
(8) The hook surface (HS) is a surface on which a first hook (h1) having an engaging protrusion (101) and a second hook (h2) having an engaging protrusion (201) including an engaging hole (202) capable of engaging the first hook (h1) are arranged in a mixed manner.

M: Sanitary masks F, SF1, SF2; Male hook-and-loop fastener HS; Hook surfaces h1, h2; Hook 1: Mask auxiliary device 2; Mask body 3; Ear strings 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, 4G; String adjusters 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D; Item holders 6, 7; Name tag 40; String member 45; Silicone member 50; Card case 51; Plate (cover body)

Claims (4)

An auxiliary device that can be detachably attached to the mask body of a sanitary mask,
The device comprises a pair of rectangular pieces made of a male surface fastener having a hook surface, a flexible cover sheet that can be attached to and detached from the hook surfaces of the pieces, and a flexible linear body,
The pair of pieces are connected to each other at least along the length of the end edges , with the back surfaces of the hook surfaces facing each other, and the linear body is held in the gap between the pieces.
The cover sheet is large enough to cover the entire hook surface of one piece, and is attached to the hook surface of one of the pair of pieces.
A mask auxiliary device characterized by: The pair of pieces are connected at the edges of the long and short sides, and the connection between them holds the linear object so that it cannot slip out between the pieces.
The mask aid according to claim 1. A combination of the mask support device according to claim 1 or 2 and a pair of string adjusters incorporated into the left and right ear straps of a sanitary mask to which the mask support device is attached,
Each of the pair of string adjusters has a main part which is a string-like member integrally provided with a male hook-and-loop fastener which is flexible and has a hook surface, and by connecting the hook surface of the hook-and-loop fastener to each of the open ends of two strings which have one end connected to the upper end and the lower end of the edge of the mask body of the sanitary mask on the side where the string adjuster is incorporated, the ear strings of the sanitary mask are formed together with the two strings.
Hygienic mask accessory set. A combination of the mask support device according to claim 1 or 2 and a pair of string adjusters incorporated into the left and right ear straps of a sanitary mask to which the mask support device is attached,
Each of the pair of string adjusters has a main part that is flexible and has two ends that are each divided into two, and a male hook-and-loop fastener with a hook surface is integrally attached to the branched portion. One end of each of the two strings is connected to the upper end and the lower end of the edge portion of the mask body of the sanitary mask on the side where the string adjuster is incorporated. The open ends of each of the two strings are sandwiched between the two hook-and-loop fasteners at each end of the string-like member and connected to the hook surfaces of the hook-and-loop fasteners, thereby forming ear strings of the sanitary mask together with the two strings.
Hygienic mask accessory set.